Food is the way to a culture's heart and soul. This Hispanic Heritage Month (or any month), go on a gastronomical journey through the region's incredibly varied cuisine. You'll be savoring flavorful rice, marinated meats, fruit juices and tons of carbs.
To help you along, Far & Wide spoke with Cuban chef Patty Morrell-Ruiz to get her insights into the most delicious Latin food dishes. And in case you can't find them at restaurants near you, follow her authentic yet unique recipes to bring a hint of Latin America to your kitchen.
Whether you're a curious outsider or yearning for home, these dishes will have you asking for seconds.
Patty Morrell-Ruiz is a professional chef and culinary instructor. Born to Cuban parents who migrated at the start of the Castro regime, she is based in Miami. She shares her recipes on the website, The Mad Table, and is the author of "The Essential Cuban Cookbook."
Before getting into some of her favorite Latin food dishes (with recipes), we'll let you in on some of her secrets. In her daily life, Morrell-Ruiz adds a splash of the Spanish Tio Pepe sherry to everything. She also recommends that cooking enthusiasts remember that "it's OK to change and improvise, or to leave something out" as you're following recipes. Follow her on social media for some craving-inducing content.
And while we agree, we have to tell you that her recipes are so good you probably won't have to improvise. Here are five of the best.
Carnitas is one of the absolute best Mexican foods. Period.
The tender pork meat is simmered for hours over low heat. Once ready, it almost melts in your mouth as you take a bite. While you can use carnitas - or "little meats" - in different dishes, the best way to eat them is in a taco.
If you can't get to Mexico just yet, many of the best taco places in the U.S. serve them.
Although carnitas usually involves letting the pork cook for three to four hours, Chef Morrell-Ruiz makes life simple with this carnitas recipe by making it instant pot-friendly.
The meat still comes out juicy and tender - a perfect contrast with the crunch of the tortillas.
One of the most ubiquitous dishes in Latin America, arroz con pollo is easy, plentiful and full of flavor. You'll find it everywhere from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico to Colombia. Its fragrance often fills the homes of Latinos in the U.S.
The dish consists of shredded chicken cooked in the same pot as rice and diced vegetables like peas, onions and peppers. The exact ingredients and the amount of condiments used vary by country. But the end result is always a burst of flavor, as the rice and chicken soak up the juices from the vegetables.
This arroz con pollo a la chorrera recipe adds chorizo, wine and beer to the base of the dish. While it departs from more traditional ways of making the dish, it's an arroz con pollo you'll want to keep making again and again.
To continue reading, check out the original article on Far & Wide.